South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-10-07

seen OF the dog was when Clarke rode
up to the house. Prince halted 500 feet
away and began, but after few minutes
his noise ceased and no more was seen or
heard Of him.
At 10 o'clock, with tho storm still
raging, Capt. Clark went to bed. There
were two rooms in the house. with a
bed in each room, and he had the front
room While he did not by any means
Ike the looks of the pair, he had no
suspicious that they intended him harm.
He was well armed, brave man. and he
did not intend to sleep too soundly.
There was neither lock nor catch on his
door, and he kept it closed by placing
light stand against it. lie had gone
TO the door and whistled for Prince be-
fore removing his clothes, but the dog
had in no manner responded. Never
theless, the Captain was only fairly in
bed when the dog came to the outer
door, snuffed about for minute. and
then set up q howllng. The master got
up to let him in, but he ran away. 1t
now seemed quite certain that Prince
was mad, and the Captain made up his
mind TO shoot him the first thing in the
morning.
81 was just getting to sleep" he ex-
planned, when the dog returned again.
heard him sniff about the door, and
pretty soon he howled again, but very
softly this time. 1t was a sort of wall.
and it made me SILVER. 1t struck me
that there was , note of warning in it, but
was vexed and out of patience with
Prince, and l determined to give him no
further attention. He was off in n
minute or two, ard after thinking over
the matter for quarter of an hour
fell asleep. 1t was after midnight when
was awakened. The dog had his nose
at the bottom of the door, and was
bowling loud enough to scare the dead.
My first thought was to get up and shoot
him, but as heard movement in the
next room l hesitated for moment.
i heard the man walk across the floor
In his bare feet and open the
back door and go out. No doubt he
had gone to drive Prince away, and
settled back in bed and thanke ed him for
1t. The dog ran off, but though !
listened long and intently did not hear
the man return. | did hear something
between groan and shout but sup
posed lie had cried out to the dog. The
storm was over now and the light of the
moon flooding into the room, and as |
turned over to WOO sleep again my face
was toward the door, and / saw that the
door was ajar. / rose up on my elbow
to get better look, and at that instant
the door was pushed further open and
IN came the woman. She had light
axe in her hands, and no sooner had she
made out that l was awake than she
sprang forward and struck mt me with
all her might. had no time to study
or calculate, but cvadcd the blow by
instinct She struck at my head, aud |
drew myself downward, with only an
inch or two to spare. AS the blow fell I
twisted myself out of bed, and before
the woman could strike again had her
| weigh 165 pounds, and there are few
men who can lay me on my back, but /
tell you had to exert myself to conquer
that woman. She had muscle and pluck.
and 1t was not until got a good hold
on her throat that she wilted. Our
struggle lasted fully five minutes, and
during all that time Prince was at the
door barking and growing in the most
furious manner. had just worsted the
woman when the dog came in by way of
tho back door, and lac would have killed
her if had not restrained him. / told
him to stand guard, and then proceeded
to strike light aud dress me.
81 couldn't undo and what had be-
come Of the husband With the light in
ono hand and my revolver in the other
l inspected the back room, but he was
not there. had heard him pass out
and why had he not returned? | looked
out OF the back door, and the mystery
was explained. There lay the man on
the broad Of his back, feet drawn up and
arms extended, and he was dead. /
could Sc no wound, and knew that no
pistol had been fired. After hesitatinr
bit, ] seized hold Of him and turned
him over, and there in his back, driven
clear up TO the hilt, was knife. / did
not attempt to pull it out, but returned
10 the woman. She had recovered from
the choking and was sitting up, but
Prince would permit no further move.
Her hair hung down about her body. and
added to this was the fact that her face
was all blood. Taken altogether. she
was about rs hard sight as had eyer
seen. had no sooner entered the room
than she began TO curse and rcvile me.
using the most awful oaths and indulg-
ing in the most terrible threats.
1T was not until daylight, that / had
20 satisfactory explanation The couple
bad determined from the first 10 murder
me. About midnight, or as soon rs the
storm passed over me, my horse was
saddlcd and led out. They knew / was
armed, bat heard nc snore in my siccp.
and the man had the door omen almost